The Cooperative Research Units Program is a unique collaborative relationship between States, Universities, the Federal government and a non-profit organization.

The program is comprised of 40 Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units on university campuses in 38 states.

Since the original

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nine Units were established in the 1930s, additional Units were established by Congress at specified universities.

The 40 units in the program are jointly supported by the US Geological Survey, Host Universities, State Natural Resource Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Cooperative Research Units were established with a trifold mission, a mission that is codified in the program’s authorizing legislation and that has remained unchanged through time:
• Education - Provide advance training in fish, wildlife, and natural resource sciences, assuring a continuing supply of quality natural resource professionals for state and federal agencies.

• Research – Provide federal and state agencies access to the expertise, and facilities at leading universities around the country, to address the natural resource information needs expressed by Unit cooperators and partners.

• Technical Assistance - Provide technical assistance in the understanding and use of science and research findings, to State and Federal personnel and other natural resource managers.